Gauge for setting planer blades



y 9, 1956 H. SNYDER 2,747,291

GAUGE FOR SETTING PLANER BLADES Filed Nov. 7, 1952 es as Invchtor HOLCOME) SNYDER,

wwmw A ttorn e finited States Patent GAUGE FOR SETTING PLANER BLADES Holcomb Snyder, Dayton, Ohio Application November 7, 1952, Serial No. 319,331

13 Claims. (Cl. 33-185) This invention relates to gauges and more particularly to a gauge for setting blades in a wood jointer.

In wood jointers and the like, the cutting blades are mounted in a roller in underlying relation to the work table and have access to the work through an opening in the table, the blades being adjustably mounted so that they may accurately traverse a path parallel to the upper surface of the work table. The setting of the blades usually is a trial and error operation, complicated by the fact that the blades are long and often require multiple readjustment along their length to achieve the desired uniform setting.

The object of the invention is to simplify the construction as well as the means and mode of operation of blade setting gauges as disclosed herein, whereby such gauges may not only be economically manufactured but will be more eflicient and satisfactory in use, adaptable to a wide variety of applications, having relatively few parts and be unlikely to get out of repair.

A further object of the invention is to make possible a more accurate and simplified setting of wood jointer blades than has been known heretofore.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gauge for setting jointer blades, which gauge combines in a single unit means for setting both ends of a blade simultaneously and to the same relative position.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a gauge of the kind described locating means for positioning the cutter member relatively to the gauge.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a gauge as described which is of relatively small, compact and unitary construction and which may be readily placed on the work table in operating position, and removed therefrom.

A further object of the invention is to provide a gauge possessing the advantageous structural features, the in herent meritorious characteristics and the mode of operation herein mentioned.

With the above primary and other incidental objects in view as will more fully appear in the specification, the invention intended to be protected by Letters Patent consists of the features of construction, the parts and combinations thereof, and the mode of operation, as hereinafter described or illustrated in the accompanying drawings, or their equivalents.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, wherein is found the preferred but obviously not necessarily the only form of embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view of a wood jointer machine showing a gauge in accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the invention installed thereon;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view, enlarged with respect to Fig. l, of the gauge there shown; and

Fig. 3 is a view of the gauge in side elevation, which is a left hand side view with respect to Fig. 1.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawing, the presently pertinent eleice ments of a wood jointer include a flat top table 10, which for purposes of the present disclosure may be considered as a one-piece integral unit having an elongated generally rectangular opening 11 therein. In underlying relation to the table 10, and aligned with the opening 11 is a rotary cutter head 12 having a series of longitudinal peripheral slots 13. A blade 14 is mounted in each slot 13 so as to project above the periphery of the cutter head 12 and to enter or substantially be received in the opening 11 in the table 10, the several blades 14 being caused to move successively through the area defined by the opening 11 in response to rotation of the cutter head 12.

It will be understood that the table 10 provides a support for the board or other device to be surfaced, such device being held upon the upper surface of the table 10 in any appropriate manner, in transverse relation to the opening 11.

The cutter blades 14 are adjustable in a radial sense with respect to the slots 13. Thus, the blade is loosely mounted in each slot 13 and is clamped against one side wall thereof by a wedge 15 carrying an adjustment screw or bolt 16, the head of which engages the opposite side wall of the slot 13. By applying a wrench to the head thereof, the bolt 16 may be adjusted to loosen or to tighten the wedge 15 against the cutter blade 14 whereby alternately to lock the cutter blade in an adjusted position and to release such blade for adjustment to a different position.

The adjustment of the cutter blade 14 is accomplished in accordancewith the instant invention by a gauge assembly 17 which rests on the table 10 in overlying relation to the opening 11 and therefore to the cutter head 12. As seen, the gauge 17 includes a principal support 18 having a relatively long and narrow shape and being made of a suitable non-magnetic material. The support 18 overlies the opening.

One side edge of the support 18 is formed with projecting tab portions 19 and 21, the tabs 19 and 21 being bent to an upright position relatively to said support and occupying longitudinally spaced apart aligned positions adjacent to respective ends of the support. On the outer faces of the tabs 19 and 21 are mounted permanent magnets 22 and 23 held in place by clamp bars 24 which are in turn tightened or loosened upon the magnets by screws 25 having a mounting in the respective tab formations 19 and 21. The magnets 22 and 23 have a con-' ventional horseshoe shape and are so adjusted upon the tabs 19 and 21 that the open ends thereof lie in the same horizontal plane as the bottom of the support 18.

On its opposite side edge the support 18 i formed,

On the first referred to side edge of the support 18 is a further tab 29 which, like the tabs 26 and 27 projects laterally of the support 18 and in the same plane. The several tabs 26, 27 and 29 cooperate in defining a bridge structure for the mounting of the support 18 in overlying relation to the cutter head 12. The tab 29 has a dependent locating lug 31 adapted to be received in a groove 13 in the cutter head 12 and to engage a wall thereof .in such manner as to assist in holding a cutter blade 14 in underlying relation to the magnets 22 and 23. The lug 31 is adjustable to and from the longitudinal axis of the support 18 since it carries a screw 32 received in a slot' 33 in the tab 29. Acting through a washer 34 the screw 32 may be tightened and released with respect to the tab 29 whereby selectively lockingthe lug 31 in selected positions of adjustment.

In the use of the gauge 17,-it is placed over the opening 11' with the'lug 28' received inasuch-opening. The.- gauge then: is moved 'bodily in aileft hand direction, as. viewed in Fig. 1 until the luggZS: engages or limits; against the left hand marginal. wall: of the opening 11'. The cutter head 12 then is rotated to bring aselected cutterr blade 14' beneaththe". magnets 22: and 23, the spaced apart relation of said magnets being such that a cooperative relation betweenthe magnetsandblade: is achieved at or adjacent to each end: of the cutter blade. When the cuttermember has been: so:positoned,, the gauge 17 is allowed to. drop to: a position of reston: the table 10,

with the'lug-..31- entering. the slot 1'3 where it engages-a Wall of such slot to prevent backward or retrograde mo tion; of the cutter: 12-. which motion tends to take place because of the. offvset mounting ofthe cutter blade 14. A- precise. locating; of. the outer edge of. the cutter blade with respect to the magnets; 22 and 23 ispossible since adjustment of the lug 31 may be made in the manner described to compensate for variations in the circumferential posi tion of the. slot13.

When the parts have been so positioned, the bolt or bolts 16 may be loosened to release the cutter blade 14 which accordingly risesunder; the influence of the magnets 22 and 23m aposition: of contact with the magnetswhich as before noted are adjusted to lie in the same horizontal plane with the bottom of the support 18 and therefore with the top surface of the table 10. While the cutter blade 144s so held it may be clamped or locked in this position by again tightening the bolt or bolts 16. It will be understood that the several cutter blades 14 which may be comprised in a single cutter head 12 are successively brought to cooperative relation with the gauge 17 in this manner. and successively set to exact and uniform cuttingposition.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular features of advantage before enumeratedas desirable, butwhich obviously is susceptible of modification in.its form, proportions, detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the principle involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to-comply with the statute the invention has beendescribed in langauge more or less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the. specific features shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise but one of several modes of putting the invention into effect.

Having thusdescribed my invention, I. claim:

1. A gauge of the class described, including an elongated body member approximately rectangular in shape, a pair of permanent magnets supportedon said body member in longitudinally spaced relation to one another, bridging projections on each side edge of said body member, and locating members dependent from said bridging projections and in opposing relation to one another, at least one of said locating members being adjustable relatively to said body member;

2. A- gauge of the class described, including a flat, generally rectangular support, mounting tabs on said support longitudinally aligned with one another in av plane perpendicular to said support and occupying positions adjacentto. the. opposite ends thereof, magnet means on said tabs, lateral bridge portions projecting. from theopposite side edgesof. said support and in the same horizontal. plane as said support, locating means dependent from said, bridge portions, at least one of said locating means being adjustable,

3'. A gaugeofthe class. described, including a fiat, generally' rectangular: support, a. pair of: projecting. tabs: on one side edge of said support,.sa;id.tabs beingl bent to. an. upright position relatively tozsaid: support. and occupying.

longitudinally spaced apart aligned positions adjacent to respective ends of said support, a permanent magnet mounted on each of said tabs, the lower ends of said magnets lying in the same plane as the bottom of said support, and other projecting tabs extending from opposite side edges of said support and serving as bridge supports, the bottoms of said. other tabs lying in the same plane as the bottom of said support? 4. A gauge according toclaim 3, characterized: by de pendent locatingmeans on said bridge supports, at least one of said locating" means being'adjustable toward and from the longitudinal axis of saidsupport.

5. A gauge of the class described, including a flat, generally rectangular support, a. pair of projecting tabs on one side edge of said support, said tabs being bent to an upright position relatively to said support and occupying longitudinally spaced apart aligned positions adjacent to respective ends of said support, a. magnet mounted on each of said tabs; the lower ends; of said. magnets lying in the same plane asthe bottomof saidsupport, another tab extending laterally fromsaid one side edge in a common plane with.- said support, dependent mean on said other tab adjustable. toward: and. from the longitudinal axis of said supportfor. locating the gauge relatively to one part ofamachine, and stillother lateral tabs on the opposite. side edge ofsaid support cooperating with the first said laterally extending tab to define a bridge for the mounting of saidtsupport.

6. A gauge according to claim 5, characterized by other dependent means on the second said. lateral tabs for locating the: gauge relatively. to another part of the machine.

7; For use with a wood jointer having a table presenting an. opening andfurther having a rotary cutter head substantially received in said. opening, a cutter setting gauge including an elongatedsupport. in overlying relation to saidv table opening, magnets on said Support, lateral tabs projecting. from: opposite side edges of said support and restingon said table, and locating devices on said tabs at least.oneofwhichdevices is engageable with a marginal edge of said: table opening. and another of which is engageable. with said cutter head, one of said devices being: adjustable. toward and from the adjacent side edge of said support.

8. For use with.a.woodworkingmachinehaving a retary cutter head,-.for.medwith peripheral. blade slots and furtherv having a table overlying said cutter, said table being formed-with an opening substantially receiving said cutter, a blade setting. gauge resting on. said table in overlying relationto-saidtableopening. and including an elongated generally rectangular support, magnets. mounted onsaid rsupport adjacent to the opposite ends thereof, said magnets beingapproximately centrally disposed relatively to. said table opening, a first dependent means on said support locating said gauge. by engagement with a marginal wallof said tablev opening, and a. second dependent meanson saidsupport: locating said cutter head by engagement witha marginal edge of one of said blade slots.

9. A gauge according to claim: 8, characterized by lateral tabs of which said first and second dependent means are a part, said lateral. tabs projecting integrally from: opposite side edges of said support and serving as bridgesfor the mountingof said gauge on said table.

10. For use with a wood workingv machine having a rotary cutter head, fcrmedwith peripheral blade slots and further having; a: tableoverlying said cutter, said. table being formed with an opening substantially receiving said cutter, ablade setting gauge resting on said table in overlying relation to said table opening and including an elongated generally rectangular support, magnets adjustably mounted on' saidsupport adjacent to the opposite ends thereof, and-locating. means onsaidsupport extending into said table opening engageable with spaced parts of; said: machinemaintaining said. support in proper. position relative thereto with the magnets in aligned overlying' relation with the blade slot of the cutter head.

11. For use with a woodworking machine having a rotary cutter head and a table overlying said cutter head, said cutter head having blade slots opening through the periphery thereof and said table having an opening above said cutter head, a blade setting gauge for mounting on said table, magnet means on said gauge, a first dependent portion on said gauge received in said opening and engageable against one marginal edge thereof and another dependent portion on said gauge received in a blade slot and rotatively adjusting said cutter head relatively to said magnet means.

12. For use with a woodworking machine having a rotary cutter head and a table overlying said cutter head,

said cutter head having a non-radial blade slot opening through the periphery thereof and said table having an opening above said cutter head, a blade setting gauge for mounting on said table, magnet means on said gauge, a first dependent portion on said gauge received in said opening and engageable against one marginal edge thereof, said gauge being positioned thereby to align said magnet means with said cutter head, and another dependent portion on said gauge extending through said opening and received in said blade slot to hold said cutter head against retrograde motion from an unbalanced condition, said first and second dependent portions cooperating to locate said blade slot in predetermined position relative to said magnet means.

13. A blade setting gauge according to claim 12, characterized by means for adjusting one of said dependent portions relatively to said gauge to vary the predetermined position of said blade slot relatively to said magnet means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 348,341 Potter Aug. 31, 1886 809,037 Walker Jan. 2, 1906 2,367,582 Honyoust J an. 16, 1945 2,589,865 Rivard Mar. 18, 1952 

